K 12 Education

K 12 education in the United States is a fascinating and complex topic. Who is responsible for providing K 12 education to all the children in the United States? According to the United States Constitution, the states are responsible for providing K 12 education to citizens. However, the federal government is responsible for funding, through the legislative process, K 12 education, but this is mostly considered supplemental funding, as each individual state is mostly responsible for funding K 12 education.

Federal Support for K 12 Education

The main source of K 12 education federal funding can be traced to the 1965 federal act known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The ESEA is responsible for providing grants to help fun school programs, school libraries, education research, instructional materials, and development for teachers.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 Shifts K 12 Education Focus

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has dramatically shifted focus and attention in the sphere of K 12 education. The act was passed as a way to heighten achievement among all K 12 students in the United States. The No Child Left Behind Act seeks to accomplish these goals by providing greater options for parents, demanding stricter accountability from schools and teachers, and through research based curriculums and instruction.

State Funding for K 12 education

Although federal funding for K 12 education is significant, the primary source for K 12 education funding is still the states. It is estimated that roughly 80 percent of every dollar that is spent on education is paid for through state dollars. However, in recent years, the federal share of K 12 education funding has grown significantly. Some analysts have put the number at roughly three percent more than before, rising from approximately 5.7 percent to 8.3 percent.